Collapsible applicator with hinge

ABSTRACT

A cosmetic applicator ( 1 ) having a core bearing the applicator devices in the form of bristles ( 6 ) and/or teeth of a comb, in which the core includes a central body ( 2 ) that is preferably also itself occupied by many bristles ( 6 ) and/or teeth that are spaced apart directly from it outward; the core includes at least one vane ( 3   a,    3   b, . . .    3   n ) protruding outward from the central body ( 2 ), and this vane is in turn occupied by a plurality of bristles ( 6 ) and/or teeth and is movable relative to the central body ( 2 ), and the vane ( 3   a,    3   b, . . .    3   n ) has a plurality of hinges, spaced apart from one another, by means of each of which it is pivotably connected only locally to the central body.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a cosmetic applicator and in particular to a mascara applicator.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the prior art, various cosmetic applicators have become known. In principle, with increasing core diameter of the applicator, the diameter of the wiper and the diameter of the opening in the bottle neck must also increase. This is especially true for applicators in which the core and the bristles borne by it are of injection-molded plastic. This is because precisely injection-molded bristles, which often have only a limited capacity to recover from bending already threaten to become damaged after only a short time, if the core from which they protrude is forced, when the applicator is pulled out of the cosmetic container, by a wiper and/or bottle neck that is actually too narrow for the core diameter.

For an applicator with an especially large core diameter, it is as a rule necessary to create a special wiper and container with a bottle neck adapted to the large core diameter. This requires constructing corresponding tools or keeping them on hand, which is expensive.

It is therefore the object of the invention to create a cosmetic applicator that to a greater degree than before is independent of the inside diameter of the available wiper and/or the diameter of the neck of the available cosmetic applicator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, a cosmetic applicator having a core bearing the applicator devices in the form of bristles and/or teeth, in which the core includes a central body which itself can optionally be equipped with a number of application devices protruding directly outward from it, is characterized in that the core furthermore includes at least one vane protruding outward from the central body, and this vane is in turn equipped with a plurality of application devices and as such, not only in the form of its bristles, for instance, is movable relative to the central body, and the vane has a plurality of hinges, spaced apart from one another, by means of each of which it is pivotably connected only locally to the central body. The hinges are embodied such that they make it possible for the vane to execute a pivoting motion relative to the central body. Thus the hinges together define a pivot axis.

Preferably, the hinges and the vane associated with it are located relative to one another such that the vane extends outward away from the central body in such a manner that it forms a V-shaped gap with the central body. Such an arrangement as a rule means that as soon as a force exerted from outside and acting in the circumferential direction and/or in the radial direction engages the vane at a location remote from the hinges, the vane automatically executes a pivoting motion relative to the central body to which it is hinged. The usefulness of an arrangement is usually that in this way an applicator is attained that on being pulled through the container neck or through the wiper, it rolls up on its own, and as a result applicators with an unusually large diameter can be created, which nevertheless can be combined with the already existing, relatively narrow container necks and wipers.

Alternatively and preferably for other uses, the hinges and the vane associated with them can be located relative to one another and on the preferably round central body of the applicator in such a way that they are aligned in the radial direction. As a result, an applicator is obtained which, although as it passes through the container neck or the wiper it does not roll off on its own, it nevertheless exhibits a very unusual, previously unknown application behavior. Specifically, strips occupied by application devices can be created that, given the correct dimensioning of their hinges, “follow along” in the application; for instance, when an applicator is drawn away from the arc of the eyelashes, they make a “nodding motion”. It will be appreciated that this leads to a novel outcome in terms of applying mascara and separating and curling the eyelashes.

Preferably, the applicator of the invention is embodied such that the at least one vane is pivotably connected to the central body by more than two and preferably three hinges.

Ideally, the hinges are film hinges.

The hinges are preferably formed as hinges that comprise two portions, each of triangular cross section, the tips of which are opposite one another, and the tips merge with one another in such a way that in the vicinity of the transition, they form the film hinge. The broad sides, remote from the tips, are then each bonded to the central body or to the fin, as a rule in one piece.

It has proved especially favorable if one hinge is flush with the distal end face of the vane, and preferably a further hinge is flush with the proximal end face of the vane. This prevents the formation of a slitlike gap, open toward one face end between the fin and the central body; such a gap might cause the applicator, as it is pulled out through the wiper and/or inserted back into the container, to catch on the lip of the wiper, causing unintended damage.

Within the context of another preferred exemplary embodiment, it is provided that each hinge, in the direction of the pivot axis defined by it, has a length L1, L2, Ln . . . , and, along the pivot axis between two adjacent hinges there is a free length that amounts to a multiple of the length, preferably at least three times and even better five times the length, of each of the hinges.

It is favorable if the hinges keep “their” vanes spaced apart from the central body, in such a way that between two hinges the vane forms a bridge, and the bridge is spaced apart by at least the dimension A from the central body, the dimension being 0.2 mm≧A≧0.9 mm.

Ideally, especially if the respective vane and its hinges are aligned in the radial direction, the at least one vane forms a narrow strip whose length E in the circumferential direction is at most six times and even better at most three times the diameter of the base of the bristle. In this way, in a set of bristles that comprises a plurality of rows of bristles that are set up aligned with one another in the direction parallel to the longitudinal axis, individual rows of bristles, which as a whole (including their bristle roots) can be designed pivotably, which still further enhances the special application behavior mentioned already above.

For certain uses, it is especially favorable if only one row of bristles and/or teeth set up in alignment with one another in the direction parallel to the applicator longitudinal axis protrudes from the narrow strip.

It is preferable if the narrow strip has one, and preferably only one, row of radially outward-protruding bristles and/or teeth. It is especially favorable if at least some of these bristles and/or teeth act as those bristles and/or teeth of the entire set that protrude the farthest outward in the radial direction. In this way, it is ensured that the strip equipped with bristles and/or teeth will in fact move in such a way over the course of the application (not merely when the applicator is being pulled out of and inserted back into the container) in such a way as provided according to the invention.

It is favorable if the narrow strip has at least one and preferably two additional rows of bristles, which protrude not radially but obliquely from the narrow strip, and which preferably terminate farther inward in the radial direction than do the bristles extending radially away from the strip. Such additional rows of bristles can serve to better brace the edging of the strip against the wiper. The additional rows of bristles then prevent the strip from being uncontrollably collapsed on itself as it passes through the wiper.

It is especially favorable if a plurality of rows, ideally three rows, each comprising bristles or teeth located in alignment along the longitudinal axis protrude from the narrow strip. Expediently, the bristle bases or bases of the teeth of at least two of these rows overlap, viewed in the direction parallel to the longitudinal axis.

Separate protection is also sought for a cosmetic applicator which is distinguished in that the at least one vane protruding from the rodlike central body is equipped with bristles and is elastic in such a way that under the influence of the forces exerted by the wiper and/or the bottle neck of the cosmetic container, it shifts reversibly in the direction toward the central region of the central body.

Finally, protection is also claimed for a system which comprises an applicator as described herein, a cosmetic container, and a wiper secured to it, and which is distinguished in that the wiper and the applicator are adapted to one another in such a way that as applicator is being pulled out and/or pushed in, it is folded up by the wiper.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further advantages, embodiment options, and modes of operation of the invention will become apparent from the ensuing exemplary embodiments described in conjunction with the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of the invention frontally from the front.

FIG. 2 shows the first exemplary embodiment in perspective from the front.

FIG. 3 shows the first exemplary embodiment in perspective from behind.

FIG. 4 shows a view of the first exemplary embodiment from the side.

FIG. 5 shows a second exemplary embodiment in perspective from the front.

FIG. 6 shows a second exemplary embodiment in perspective from behind.

FIG. 7 shows a view of the second exemplary embodiment from side.

FIG. 8 shows a view of the second exemplary embodiment seen frontally from the front.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The first exemplary embodiment of the invention can be best explained, for the sake of introduction, in conjunction with FIG. 1.

In this exemplary embodiment, the core comprises a preferably substantially nondeformable central body 2 and a plurality of, preferably three, vanes 3 a, 3 b, . . . 3 n protruding outward from it. The vanes 3 a, 3 b, . . . 3 n extend in the direction of the applicator longitudinal axis L, preferably over the entire region of the applicator, that is, over the entire region that is occupied by bristles; reference numeral 3 n stands for the last vane of a plurality of vanes. Each of the vanes is connected only on, or in the immediate near vicinity of, its one long narrow side to the central body 2 and thus protrudes from the central body in the manner of a cantilever beam, joined on one end. Preferably, each of the vanes does not protrude from the central body in the purely radial direction but rather obliquely, so that a radially oriented compressive force, or a force acting here clockwise in the circumferential direction, on the vane causes the vane to press more tightly against the central body.

The vanes themselves have no direct connection to the coupling portion 5, since a direct connection would hinder their ability to move. The vanes, with the central portion, preferably form a V-shaped acute-angled gap 4, in which cosmetic substance can be stored that when the applicator is pulled out is partly forced outward by the wiper and/or the bottle neck and is then available in the near vicinity of the set of bristles.

Each of the legs 3 a, 3 b, . . . 3 n, on its outside, has a set that preferably comprises bristles 6 that have been integrally injection-molded on and therefore secured to it seamlessly or gaples sly. It is especially favorable if the bristles and/or teeth are all inclined obliquely in common in one direction relative to the surface that has them, as shown in FIGS. 1 through 4.

The term “bristle” in the sense of the invention is understood to be a rodlike construction whose maximum diameter is less by a factor of at least 5 than its length from the root of the bristle to the free end of the bristle. Typically, a bristle is so elastic that its free end in the unstressed state can be deflected perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the bristle by an amount that is equivalent to 6 times the maximum diameter of the bristle.

Instead of or partly instead of the bristles, teeth that form a comb may also be present; preferably, the elements with which the applicator is equipped are predominantly bristles, not teeth. This is all true for the further descriptions as well, unless every time reference is made to this circumstance and only the preferred bristles are mentioned. Compared to the bristles, teeth are distinguished in that they are less flexible by a factor of at least 3, or even behave rigidly under the intended forces that occur in the application.

The vanes 3 a, 3 b, . . . 3 n are intrinsically and as a whole so elastic and/or are pivotably connected elastically to the central body 2 in such a way that the vanes 3 a, 3 b, . . . 3 n can shift in the direction of the arrows P, that is, in the direction toward the central body 2 of the core, so that the diameter of the core, and thus also the cross-sectional area Q occupied by the core, are reduced overall. The phrase “cross-sectional area Q occupied by a core” is understood to mean the area that surrounds the imaginary line of a rope that is wrapped around the core. According to the invention, the wall thickness, the material, and/or the pivotable connection of the vanes 3 a, 3 b, . . . 3 n to the central body are selected such that the shifting of the vanes that has just been described ensues by itself, under the influences of the forces that are exerted on the core by the wiper and/or the neck of the container, as soon as the core has been pulled out as intended by the wiper or the container neck or thrust back into the container again in the reverse direction.

In some cases, all the vanes 3 a, 3 b, . . . 3 n have an at least substantially constant ball thickness. It is especially preferable if the large surface 7, facing away from the core, of each vane is curved in the circumferential direction and has a smaller radius of curvature than the second large surface 8, toward the core, of the vane.

It is especially favorable if the large surface 7 of each vane oriented toward the core is complementary in shape to the outer circumferential face, opposite it, of the central body, so that the vane can press substantially completely against the outer circumference, facing toward it, of the central body. To achieve this, when the central body is equipped with three vanes, it can be sensible to lend the central body 2 a triangular cross-sectional shape, as shown in the drawings.

The hinges 9 need to be described separately.

First, the hinges 9 are preferably designed in such a way that they keep the vanes 3 a, 3 b, . . . 3 n in the folded-open position when the applicator is not stressed from outside; that is, a position in which the long, free end of the vane is distanced from the central body by an amount H that is at least 0.4 times the mean diameter of the central body 2; see FIG. 1. In this way, a wiper that is unusually large in use is obtained, yet it can be inserted through the familiar, markedly smaller necks of the containers and the wipers associated with them, because as it passes through the neck or a wiper, it folds up automatically and then has only an even smaller cross section.

As best seen from FIG. 3, in this preferred embodiment there are three hinges 9 spaced apart from one another. The three hinges define a pivot axis S for the vane, which preferably extends parallel to the applicator longitudinal axis L.

As seen particularly well in FIG. 3, a hinge is flush with the distal end face of the vane, and the other hinge is flush with the proximal end face of the vane. The term “proximal” designates the side toward the later applicator grip or the coupling portion 5, while the term “distal” designates the side facing correspondingly away; see the arrows in FIG. 2. The third hinge here is located centrally between the other two hinges.

The hinges 9 may be classical hinges, in the sense that one hinge part runs in sliding fashion on or into another hinge part. In that case, the at least one vane is a part mounted retroactively onto the central body, and as a rule manufactured separately. The vane and/or the central body then preferably include at least one spring element, for instance in the form of a protruding plastic arm that acts as a kind of leaf spring and presses the at least one vane into its folded-open position, as long as no external forces that press the vane in the direction of the central body are operative at the time.

Preferably, the hinges are integral hinges, for instance of a flexible plastic tab, or even in the form of a film hinge. Such a plastic tab is joined on one side integrally to the central body 2 and on the other is joined integrally with the vane 3 a, 3 b, . . . 3 n. Ideally, such a plastic tab is created by injection-molding the central body 2 and the vane jointly. This kind of plastic tab intrinsically has a certain “shape memory”, which causes it, in the relaxed state, to return again and again to substantially the same position. Given the correct design of the injection mold, this can be made use of in order to design the plastic tab in such a way that together with the other plastic tabs used as hinges, it presses the vane into its folded-open position and also keeps it there, as long as only the insignificant forces that occur in the actual application are operative.

It can readily be seen from the drawings, and especially FIG. 3, that the hinges 9 of each vane are preferably designed such that they keep the side edges of the vane, which bind them to the central body, spaced apart from the central body; that is, wherever no hinge is provided, the vane maintains a spacing A of preferably at least 0.3 mm from the central body.

As to the dimensioning of the individual hinges, the following can preferably be said:

The width of a hinge, that is, in the exemplary embodiment being discussed here the length of the hinge in the direction parallel to the longitudinal axis, is preferably between 1 mm and 3 mm.

The maximum thickness Dmax of the plastic tab located between the central body and the vane is preferably at most 0.5 mm, and even better only at most 0.3 mm.

The spacing AB, that is, the free length between two immediately adjacent hinges, is a multiple, preferably at least 3 times and even better at least 5 times the length of each of the hinges involved in the demarcation of this free length; see FIG. 3.

The second exemplary embodiment of the invention can be best explained in conjunction with FIG. 6.

In this exemplary embodiment, what has been said for the first exemplary embodiment applies to the central body as well as to the number of hinges 9, as well as the fundamental way in which the hinges are embodied and the spacing AB of the hinges from one another.

In this exemplary embodiment, the hinges 9 are preferably embodied as substantially radially extending struts which are spanned in bridge-like fashion by the vane. These struts have an approximately central thin area that preferably forms a film hinge.

In a distinction from the previous exemplary embodiment, the vanes here are not hinged on their narrow side but rather on their large surface 8 facing toward the central body. Preferably, the hinges 9 and the vanes 3 a, 3 b, . . . 3 n associated with them extend in alignment in the radial direction.

Also, it is immediately striking that in this exemplary embodiment, the vanes each form a narrow strip, whose length E in the circumferential direction is preferably at most 4 times, and even better at most 2.5 times the diameter of the bristle base; see FIG. 6.

Another striking feature is that, viewed in the circumferential direction, on both sides of each strip there is an enlarged, bristle-free region, each of which over an arc length BL, which corresponds to an angle of at least 25°, is free of bristles or teeth in the entire region next to the strip; see FIGS. 7 and 8 that should be viewed together. The result is an attractive bulk storage area, into the vicinity of which the pivotable vanes can move.

On its large surface 7 facing away from the central body, each of the vanes has a set of bristles.

Preferably, there is at least one row of bristles 6*, set up in alignment in the direction parallel to the longitudinal axis, which row protrudes substantially (except for tolerances) in the purely radial direction from the central body.

In observing the drawings for this exemplary embodiment, it is immediately striking that the vanes 3 a, 3 b, . . . 3 n each extend not over the entire length of the central body 2, but rather only fit over the predominant portion of the length of the central body 2, or at least ⅓ of the length of the central body.

Preferably, the central body 2 is also occupied directly (not merely via the vanes) with bristles 10 and/or teeth. Preferably, the bristles and/or teeth are at least partially set up in such a way that they form the beginning and as applicable also the end of a row of bristles set up in alignment with one another along the longitudinal axis.

Ideally, the at least one vane of this applicator is lined up in such a row; that is, the vane 3 a, 3 b, . . . 3 n per se is aligned with bristles 10 that are borne directly by the central body. The bristles 10 borne directly by the central body 2 and preceding the vane in the direction in which the applicator is pulled out through the wiper and/or is inserted form a kind of deflector, which prevents the respective vane 3 a, 3 b, . . . 3 n from directly contacting the wiper or the edge of the wiper lip, where it might catch or lead to an interfering “spine” as the applicator is pulled out or reinserted.

It is ideal if the vane itself has a row of bristles 6* set up in alignment with one another in the direction of the longitudinal axis, with which bristles it completes the row that was begun by the bristles 10 set up directly on the central body.

It may be expedient if the vane is occupied (additionally, as a rule) by bristles 6 that do not protrude from the vane purely radially relative to the central body, but rather obliquely. In this way, the vane can be moved by the comparatively slight forces that occur in the actual application, producing a novel effect that the user who is applying cosmetics finds favorable.

Ideally, these oblique bristles 6 are embodied as shown in the drawings, namely in such a way that in the circumferential direction, they protrude on both sides past the row of bristles 6* set up on the vane in alignment along the longitudinal axis L.

It is especially favorable if, viewed in the direction of the longitudinal axis L, one of the bristles 6* set up in alignment with one another always alternates with a pair of bristles 6 protruding past the vane to the left and to the right in the circumferential direction. The described embodiment of the bristles prevents the strip, occupied with the bristles and here forming the vane, from being laterally folded over in an undefined way on being pulled through the wiper, because the obliquely protruding bristles are braced in such a way against the inner circumference of the wiper that precisely this effect is averted.

It has been found that it is especially favorable if the vanes described in this exemplary embodiment at least in part have bristles which are flat on one side, as is a bristle that for instance has been split into two parts along its central longitudinal axis with a flat part.

In closing, the following should be said in summary:

What is claimed is also the use of the cosmetic applicators as mascara applicators, whose bristle field in the direction of the longitudinal axis L has a maximum length of 30 mm and a maximum outside diameter of 15 mm, and even better only 12 mm.

It should then be noted that protection is very generally claimed for an applicator having a core and bristles protruding outward from the core, in which the core in at least some regions is so elastic that the cross-sectional area occupied by the core decreases reversibly on passing through the wiper and/or the bottle neck of the cosmetic container associated with the cosmetic applicator, under the influence of the forces exerted by the wiper and/or the bottle neck.

In conclusion, it is noted very generally that protection is also claimed for a cosmetic applicator which is distinguished by (only or also) the following features: a cosmetic applicator (1), which is distinguished in that the vane (3 a, 3 b, . . . 3 n) protruding from the rodlike, preferably bulky central body (2) is equipped with bristles and is so elastic that, under the influence of the forces exerted by the wiper and/or the bottle neck of the cosmetic container, it shifts reversibly in the direction toward the central region of the central body (2).

Applicators according to the invention of all kinds can furthermore be distinguished in addition by one or more of the two groups of features recited below:

-   -   in that plurality of, and ideally three, rows of bristles (6,         6*) or teeth, in alignment along the longitudinal axis, protrude         from the narrow strip, and the bristle and tooth bases of at         least two of these rows at least partly overlap, as viewed in         the direction parallel to the longitudinal axis;     -   and/or that the central body (2) has a U-shaped, C-shaped,         S-shaped or Z-shaped cross section. 

1. A cosmetic applicator having a core bearing applicator devices in the form of bristles and/or teeth, the core comprising: a central body that is equipped with a plurality of bristles and/or teeth that are spaced apart and protruding outward from the central body; and at least one vane protruding outward from the central body, and equipped with a plurality of bristles and/or teeth and the at least one vane is movable relative to the central body, wherein the vane has a plurality of hinges, spaced apart from one another, by which the vane is pivotably connected only locally to the central body.
 2. The cosmetic applicator of claim 1, wherein the hinges and the vane associated with the hinges are located relative to one another such that the vane extends outward away from the central body in such a manner that the vane and the hinges form a V-shaped gap with the central body.
 3. The cosmetic applicator of claim 1, wherein the central body is round, and the hinges and the vane associated with the hinges are located relative to one another and on the round central body of the applicator in such a way that the vane and the hinges are aligned in a radial direction.
 4. The cosmetic applicator of claim 1, wherein the at least one vane is pivotably connected to the central body by more than two hinges.
 5. The cosmetic applicator of claim 1, wherein the hinges are film hinges.
 6. The cosmetic applicator of claim 5, wherein the hinges are formed of two portions each having a triangular cross section, whose tips are opposite one another and merge with one another in such a way that in a vicinity of a transition the two portions form the film hinge, and their broad sides are each joined, integrally, to the central body and/or to the vane, and/or one hinge is flush with a distal end face of the vane, and a further hinge is flush with a proximal end face of the vane.
 7. The cosmetic applicator of claim 1, wherein each hinge, in a direction of a pivot axis defined by the hinge, has a length and, along the pivot axis between two adjacent hinges, there is a spacing that amounts to a multiple of at least three times the length of each of the hinges.
 8. The cosmetic applicator of claim 1, wherein the at least one hinge keeps the vane spaced apart from the central body in such a way that between two hinges, the vane forms a bridge, and the bridge is spaced apart from the central body by at least 0.2 mm and no more than 0.9 mm.
 9. The cosmetic applicator of claim 1, wherein the at least one vane forms a narrow strip whose length in a circumferential direction is at most six times a diameter of a base of a bristle.
 10. The cosmetic applicator of claim 9, wherein only one row of bristles and/or teeth, set up in alignment with one another in a direction parallel to an applicator longitudinal axis protrudes from the narrow strip.
 11. The cosmetic applicator of claim 9, wherein the narrow strip bears one row of radially outward-protruding bristles and/or teeth, and at least some of these bristles and/or teeth, or all of these bristles and/or teeth, are bristles and/or teeth of an entire set that protrude farthest outward in a radial direction.
 12. The cosmetic applicator of claim 11, wherein the narrow strip has at least one additional row of bristles and/or teeth, which protrude not radially but obliquely from the narrow strip.
 13. The cosmetic applicator of claim 1, wherein the at least one vane is pivotable about an axis that extends parallel to an applicator longitudinal axis.
 14. A cosmetic applicator, comprising: a rodlike, massive central body; at least one vane protruding from the central body, wherein the at least one vane is equipped with bristles and is elastic in such a way that under influence of forces exerted by a wiper and/or a bottle neck of a cosmetic container, the at least one vane shifts reversibly in a direction toward a central region of the central body.
 15. A system comprising the applicator of claim 1, a cosmetic container, and a wiper secured to the cosmetic container, wherein the wiper and the applicator are adapted to one another in such a way that the applicator is folded up as it is being pulled out of and/or pushed into the wiper. 